A Cave Detour
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: A Cave Detour... It wasn't quite as complicated as it could have been.


Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't...

Summary: A Cave Detour... It wasn't quite as complicated as it could have been.

A/N: This story was requested by WillowDryad and is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe. Enjoy!

**A Cave Detour**

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"I hope this cave is unoccupied because if there's some torment device of Murphy's in here, I blame you."

Oreius chuckled. "The cave is shallow, Alambiel. Nothing lurks here."

"Except us," I quipped, kneeling on the floor. Lightning flashed, illuminating the cave, and I shrugged as I scrambled to search through my travel pack for some kindling. Getting caught in a flood plain during a sudden storm was not one of our brightest moves. "You're sure we're high enough up to avoid drowning in a flash flood?"

With a snort, Oreius rummaged through his own packs. "You are a Marsh-Wiggle, Princess."

I burst out laughing. "Really? You're going to call me a Marsh-Wiggle?" A moment later, a dry blanket was draped around my shoulders. "You brought a blanket?"

"I brought two." The lightning flashed again, illuminating the cave just as Oreius spread the second blanket along the taller ledge running along the right side of the cave. He over-prepares, that's for sure. And apparently he only planned for me to be warm and dry…he could have kept the second blanket for himself. He caught me frowning and grinned. "I am a Centaur, Alambiel. It will take more than a bit of rain to discomfit me to any worrisome amount."

"The last time you said that, _dear_, you caught a cold and practically had pneumonia." I found a loose rock and threw it at him when he shook his head. "And I'll have you know that I was quite close to simply tying you down so you would get some rest."

I yelped when Oreius plucked me off the cave floor and then held me against his chest. He shifted one hand to brush a sodden lock off my cheek. "Your concern is most touching but I assure you that I will be unharmed by a sudden drenching. You, on the other hand, are far more vulnerable."

"I am n-" Oreius has gotten quite fond of shutting me up with a kiss. "You're right. You don't need to be comfortable, I'll keep the blankets."

He laughed then set me down. Brushing the back of his fingers against my cheek, he searched my eyes. "I love you, Alambiel."

"I love you too." A clap of thunder resounded and I jumped. "But, we really need to talk about these romantic rendezvouses."

"You mean you do not wish to spend time stranded in a cave with your beloved?"

"No, not really." I pulled the blanket closer then sat on the cave floor. The muscles in my legs were aching from the mad dash up the side of the hill, slogging through mud and rising water. If I had been alone, I would have immediately started rubbing the knot in my hamstring. There were drawbacks to being in close quarters with Oreius. I opted to just stretch out my legs as far as I could. "You know, there were easier ways to escape the matchmakers' attention."

Oreius settled beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer so I was leaning into his side. "True, but you were obviously weary of going over the restrictions in regards to our courtship and how it will influence our decisions as soldiers."

"So you want me to leave you to whoever managed to capture you in order to avoid a conflict of interest?"

He huffed a laugh then pressed a kiss to my temple. "They are right. Though I will do my best not to allow my emotions to influence the orders I give you, I will always dread when I must send you into battle."

"Well, technically, you don't get to order me around because I'm only under your command when I bother to be." I tilted my head back and grinned at him. "We've already spent eight months balancing our lives and this relationship. We'll be fine. We made it through the crisis with the Seven Isles, Oreius." He turned his face away but I still caught a glimpse of the guilt there. "Kentauri…it was a trial, nothing more. And we survived."

I twisted around until we were face to face. "You worry too much, a chara." Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pressed my cheek against his. "I love you, no matter what gets thrown at us next." I jumped again as another clap of thunder sounded directly above the cave.

Oreius grinned and wrapped his arms around me. Touching his forehead to mine, he closed his eyes. I didn't say anything. Instead, I just enjoyed being held by the one person in all the worlds who held my heart in an equally secure grip. Opening his eyes, Oreius surprised me by rubbing his nose against mine. I giggled (I still get caught by surprise when he shows just how soft he is beneath his "I'm the General and must be stoic" exterior…I hope the surprises never stop) then kissed him.

Even with the storm and the far too frequent bouts of lightning, I enjoyed our time together. For a while, we spoke of everything and nothing (we were, regrettably, still catching each other up on what we hadn't spoken of during the mess in the Seven Isles). Then Oreius shifted. I looked up (okay, okay, I may have dozed off, but outrunning a flood is tiring). Before I could say anything, Oreius scooped me into his arms and then rose to his feet. He set me down on the ledge then cradled my face. "Go to sleep, Alambiel. The storm has passed and it will be a long walk until we reach a place where we might cross easily."

I grimaced. "You mean the eel-infested Marshes."

He chuckled then ran his fingers along my jawline to cup my chin. "I will protect you from the dreaded eels, my heart." He kissed me before I could protest his teasing. I decided it would be more beneficial to sleep and curled up with my back to Oreius as he started pacing near the front of the cave (twenty Lions says he's decided to keep a close eye on the flood currently crashing through the valley below our hideaway). But, if one eel brushed against my boot, I was so going to make Oreius carry me through the Marshes until we reached eel-free dry land.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, this was requested but I've been missing writing the KnockOut fluff...and we could use a break from the cloud of angst that is _Veiled_, right? Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


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